Receptacle lid fastener



Oct. 30, 1956 E. s. GIFFORD 2,768,851

RECEPTACLE LID FASTENER Filed April 23, 1954 United States Patent "CeRECEPTACLE LID FASTENER Elmer S. Gifford, Eugene, Oreg.

Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 4255165 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-30)This invention relates to improvements in closure lids for receptaclesand more particularly to new and novel means for locking a lid to agarbage can or the like to prevent its unintentional opening or removalby strong winds or by prowling animals and the like.

It is one of the principal objects of the invention to provide a lid ofthe class described having in combination therewith a simple, eflicientand effective locking mechanism operable by a natural squeeze of thehand of the user to unlock the lid when gripping the handgrip in anormal manner to lift the lid from the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism whichis of durable and inexpensive construction and which can be readilyincorporated in a lid during the process of its manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects will appear as my invention is morefully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a closure lid and looking mechanism madein accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure l with fragments broken away forconvenience of illustration.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the lid applied to areceptacle with the locking mechanism in an unlocked position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing:

I have shown the invention applied to a more or less standard lid for agarbage can indicated by reference numeral 1 in Figure 3 but it will beunderstood that the invention is readily adaptable to any closure lidhaving a centrally disposed handgrip indicated at 2 and a dependingannular flange 3 to encircle the top end of any receptacle having arolled rim 4. In applying the invention to a lid of the type described Iform diametrically opposed slots 5 in the flange 3 to slidablyaccommodate the inwardly turned or hook-shaped ends 6 of a locking bar 7preferably made of spring steel or the like so as to normally maintainits shape shown in Figure 2 wherein said hooked ends of the bar are inposition for locked engagement with the upper end of the receptaclebeneath the rolled rim 4 thereof as aforesaid.

The outer end portions of the locking bar are slidably attached to thetop surface of the lid by means of looped bands of metal 8 extendingthrough appropriate slots formed in the lid. From these points ofattachment the locking bar is turned upwardly as at 9 to form limitstops for outward movement of its end portions, then upwardly and overin alignment with the handgrip 2,768,851 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 2. Tothe underside of the center of the locking bar I secure, by welding orthe like, a guide pin 10 which slidably extends downwardly through. anaperture 11 formed in the handgrip and is surrounded by a compressionspring 12 whose bottom end bears against the top of the handgrip andwhose top end bears against the underside of the locking bar, as shown.

A hook 13 is secured to the flange 3 and extends downwardly therefromfor convenience in hanging the lid onto the side of the receptacle whenremoved from the top end thereof.

Upon gripping the handgrip and locking bar simultaneously when in thelocked positions shown in Figure 2 and forcing them toward one anotherby a natural tightening of the hand as shown in Figure 3 the resultantdownward and outward flexing of the locking bar toward a flattenedposition will move its hooked ends 6 outwardly from beneath the rolledrim 4 of the receptacle to release the lid for easy removal. Whenreplacing the lid upon the receptacle the hooked ends 6 will re-engagewith the underside of the rolled rim upon releasing the handgrip whichwill allow the locking bar to resume the position shown in Figure 2 byits own resiliency aided by the expansion force of the spring 12.

While I have shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention I amaware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves toothers skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim as newand desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A closure lid having a handgrip with a vertical opening formedtherethrough and means for locking the lid to a receptacle having arolled rim at its open end, said lid including a downwardly dependingannular flange having diametrically opposed single openings therein, apair of looped metallic bands secured to the lid at diametricallyopposed points, a one-piece resilient locking bar normally of arcuateshape in side elevation and turned downwardly near the inner ends ofsaid looped bands to form limit stops with respect thereto thenoutwardly through the bands and thereby being slideably attached .to thelid, the outer ends of the band being turned downwardly and inwardlyinto hook members extending through the openings in said flange fornormally engaging with the upper end of the receptacle beneath saidrolled rim, a stabilizing pin secured to the locking bar at the centerthereof and extending downwardly through said opening in the handgrip,whereby downward pressure applied to the locking bar intermediate itsends will extend it longitudinally to remove said hook members frombeneath said rolled rim to release the lid for removal from thereceptacle, and whereby said limit stops will prevent said hook membersfrom being extended outwardly beyond said openings in the annular flangeof the lid and whereby said locking bar when released will by itsinherent resiliency retract said hook members into locking position.

